SC refuses to lift ban on bursting firecrackers in Punjab, Haryana

New Delhi, December 15 : The Supreme Court on Friday refused to lift the ban on bursting of firecrackers in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. A bench of Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan said it would hear the case on January 5 against the ban ordered by the high court.
Earlier this month, the apex court decided to hear a plea seeking ban on the use and manufacture of firecrackers across the country.The apex Court issued a notice to the Centre and asked it to file its detailed response within four weeks.
Earlier on October 9, the apex court imposed a blanket ban on sale of firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR in the run-up to Diwali to check the alarming pollution level.